The year 1998 is just about over, but there were many radio highlights, chronicled here as a month-by-month year-in-review report:
-- January: The Simmons Radio Group (KSFI, KRSP, KDYL and other stations) announces it raised more than $27,000 for Travelers Aid during its December live broadcasts to benefit the homeless . . . KFNZ stages two contests, one for a big Super Bowl party and another for a trip to Chicago for a Jazz-Bulls rematch . . . Bob Lee returns to radio on KNRS with an afternoon drive show, as AM-570 becomes an all-news/talk station. Tim Hughes is the morning host and Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura and Paul Harvey switch from KALL to the new sister station.Jim Braden is the new morning newsman, replacing Michele Morrison, who moved to the new KNRS all-news/talk station . . . KBKK (country music) disappears on FM-106.5 and easy listening KOSY appears . . . KBER changes its morning show to the syndicated "Bob and Tom" show (featuring no music), and moves "Uncle Nasty" to afternoons . . . KXRK, in a surprising move, is sold to Simmons Radio Group . . . KSFI and KBER lead the fall Arbitron ratings.
-- February: KSL stages its 22nd annual Radiothon to benefit Primary Children's Medical Center and raises a record $280,000 . . . A new auto talk show begins on KALL . . . KSL offers 100 hours of live coverage during the Winter Olympic Games from Nagano, Japan, with reporter Marc Giauque. "Kerry and Bill" of KXRK also do live reports from the Winter Olympics . . . KSL radio sportscaster Kent Rupe is named as Utah Sportscaster of the Year by his peers . . . KUER begins a new local news series called "Time and Place: The Stories of Utah" . . . KLZX's call letters change to KUUU.
-- March: KBEE drops "Mick and Ellis" in the morning, replacing them with Scott Simon . . . "Country Joe" Flint of KSOP AM/FM is named a finalist for country "DJ of the Year" by the Academy of County Music . . . Jacor Communications' KALL and KNRS, sign a deal with KUTV, Ch. 2, to share news and weather reporting resources . . . KUER stages a "condensed" fund-raising campaign with one-third as many interruptions . . . KUMT goes "British" with Abby Bonell from England as a new morning co-host with Joe Wren . . . Jacor Broadcasting signs a new four-year agreement for University of Utah sports and also announces it will move its play-by-play of Ute sports from KALL to KNRS. KALL had been airing Ute sports for 47 years.
-- April: Bogus stories about Karl Malone breaking his hand, about no more income tax refunds and the wrong time of the day highlighted April Fool's Day on local radio . . . KUBL and KISN have special showings of the movie "Titanic" during the anniversary of its sinking for listeners who have never seen the film . . . Australian Erin Brady adds a "down under" touch to FM radio by joining Scott Simon mornings on KBEE . . . A "Dunk the IRS Agent" booth is set up at the Cottonwood Mall for tax day by KBEE.
-- May: KCPW airs "Talk of the Nation" and "Science Friday," National Public Radio programs from Salt Lake City . . . KSFI leads the adult and all-age radio ratings, while KXRK takes over the No. 1 spot for young adults in the winter Arbitron estimates . . . "Dain and and Peggy" on KSFI and "Fisher, Todd and Erin" on KISN lead the latest morning show ratings . . . KWUN raises food for the needy at the midnight showing of "Godzilla" . . . KISN raises more than $109,000 in its annual "Cares for Kids" radiothon . . . Hawk Mendenhall is named KUER's new program director.
-- June: With the Utah Jazz back in the NBA Championships, local radio stations are overwhelmed with requests for game tickets . . . Morning DJs "Simon and Brady" on KBEE stage a "Diaper Derby," an infant race at Liberty Park where babies try to win tickets for their parents . . . A new four-hour LDS music show -- "Sounds of the Sabbath" -- begins airing each Sunday on KOSY . . . KUER makes it biggest programming alterations in recent years, adding nine new national programs . . . KURR offers men a vasectomy in an unusual Father's Day contest . . . KFAM begins simulcasts of KODJ, "Oldies 94.1," as the former easy-listening station waits for a new format . . . Doug Wright, KSL midday host, surpasses his 20-year mark at the station.
-- July: Rumors of KISN's "Fisher, Todd and Erin" breaking up prove untrue, as Todd and Erin return to the air after a two-week vacation . . . KNRS goes on the road for Pioneer Day with Bob Lee and Tim Hughes . . . KSL brings back CBS Radio's "Radio Mystery Theater" program . . . KUUU changes its call letters to KRAR, to represent rock 'n' roll . . . KBER celebrates its 12th birthday by playing the state's largest musical-chairs game, to give away a Harley-Davidson motorcycle . . . KCPW names Beverly Amsler as its first-ever news director . . . Tom Barberi celebrates 27 years on KALL, while Joe Redburn, now on KWUN, hits the 33-year mark on the air in the Salt Lake radio market.
-- August: KFNZ, on the strength of the Utah Jazz, doubles its radio audience, according to the Arbitron ratings for spring. KSL's "Grant and Amanda" are the No. 1 morning show for adults . . . "Sunny 107.9" (big band music) vanishes and is replaced by sister station KOSY (easy-listening music) . . . KBEE stages a timely contest by putting 20 listeners in ice water and cucumbers as they try to win a swimming pool during the hot summer of 1998 . . . "Roxie" on KURR attends the annual "boot camp" in Atlanta for morning radio shows . . . KALL leaves its historic South Temple studio and moves into Jacor's new studios in West Valley City.
-- September: KTUR is purchased by InteliQuest Media Corp. The station changes its call letters to KIQN and pursues an expanded all news-and-information format . . . KALL and KNRS offer Monica Lewinsky a $100,000-a-year salary to be a talk show host in Salt Lake City . . . KURR morning DJ Allen Handy, of "Mick and Allen," suffers a ruptured appendix and barely receives life-saving treatment in time . . . Alex Chadwick, veteran NPR reporter, producer and host of "Radio Expeditions," visits Salt Lake City for a special show hosted by KUER . . . Tom Bock leaves KBZN after nearly three years and is replaced by Kelly Monson.
-- October: KDYL begins simulcasting its nostalgic music signal on two FM stations . . . Moab gains its first commercial radio station with modern country-music station KCYN . . . KFNZ and KBEE sponsor a women's three-on-three basketball tournament for breast cancer awareness month . . . Former TV news anchor Phil Riesen becomes the news director for Jacor Broadcasting's seven Salt Lake radio stations . . . KWUN passes its 1-year birthday and promotes weekend host Nyk to mornings for his own "Seize the Day" show . . . Paul James and Elaine Cannon start a new show, "It's a Wonderful World," on KALL and KNRS radio . . . KUMT begins its new "Mountains of Cash and a World of Mountains" contest . . . KRCL announces plans for a new $1.5 million broadcasting facility . . . KENZ, KSFI and KZHT lead the three main Arbitron age group ratings for the summer book. DJs Jimmy Chunga of KENZ, "Grant and Amanda" of KSL and "Mick and Allen" of KURR are tops in the morning show ratings . . . Rufus, "Johnson and Johnson" producer on KUBL, camps out on the roof of a hotel near the Delta Center, vowing not to leave until the NBA labor dispute is settled.
-- November: KWUN ("Radio One") goes off the air for two days following a breakdown in management. It returns with ads and promotions for several weeks. But it soon goes off the air for good because of deep financial problems . . . KFNZ holds a week of special activities to promote the Cougar-Ute football rivalry . . . Karl Malone's talk show from Los Angeles airs for a few weeks on KALL before it is stopped locally over a pay dispute. Ironically, Jacor Broadcasting owns both the L.A. station and KALL. A week later, Malone's show is back on KALL . . . Mick Martin of "The Freak Show" on KURR, spearheads a smokeout effort for himself and listeners to stop smoking for at least 99 days . . . Local radio stations -- KUBL, KZHT, KURR and KKAT in particular -- go wild getting food donations for the needy.
-- December: KISN sells Christmas trees for its "Cares for Kids" charity . . . The CBS Radio Network discontinues "Radio Mystery Theater," causing the nostalgic show to disappear from KSL. In its place, KSL beings airing ESPN's "Gamenight" . . . KSRR begins its Christmas music before Thanksgiving, and KSFI holds its "100 Hours of Christmas Music" event again . . . The Jim Rome show jumps to KALL radio from KFNZ. More local sports talk shows on KFNZ, with Dave Blackwell and Craig Bolerjack, fill the gap left by Rome's departure . . . Trumper Communications announces it will move its studios for KISN, KUMT and KOSY from Murray to downtown Salt Lake City next spring . . . KSOP gives away $10,000 in Christmas cash and the station celebrates its 34th anniversary . . . KWLW changes format, going from a simulcast of "Oldies 94.1" to classic country music.